2006

This was probably the worst Scarpetta novel I've read yet, and I've slowly been more and more disatisfied with the series as time has gone on. I agree, it was confusing and there was something about the way it was written that just didn't click for me. I'm probably not going to read another Cornwell book. ( )

I wanted to love this book. I've always enjoyed the stories of Kay Scarpetta, Marino, Benton Wesley, and Lucy. Even the premise of PREDATOR intrigued me-- Benton is heading a new program where he studies the brains of volunteer test subjects, mostly convicted felons of heinous crimes. He hopes to find a scientific and physical reason for why people do the things they do, and sets out to find if the molecular make-up or abnormalities of the brain cause people to commit vicious crimes against each other. Sounds good, right?

It could have been a great story. There's a plot, of course, where people are dying, strange events are taking place with related murders that seem random, and where an inmate might hold the key to solving the deaths.

The problem is I wanted to shoot almost each and every character that I've grown to love over the years. Benton Wesley is his same, staid self, and I don't have too many complaints about his behavior in PREDATOR. After all, the guy is back from the dead, and I'm happy about that. Kay Scarpetta, on the other hand, has turned into an alternately brooding/bi**y whiner. Marino is a bad-boy-wannabe who now talks in monosyllables such as "mmm" and "mmm-hmm". And Lucy. Sigh. What the HECK has happened to Lucy? As if it wasn't bad enough that in Cornwell's last book, TRACE, Lucy was involved with a psycho-woman, in PREDATOR she's doing all the stupid things she did last time, except this time her involvement with a physcho-woman might get her killed.

What has happened to my favorite characters? I was eagerly anticipating the release of PREDATOR, only to be so let down that I've decided to wait and rent each new Patricia Cornwell release from the library.

I gave the book three stars for the basic plot, which was interesting. If I had to rate the behavior of the characters, it would be in the negatives. ( )

Another Scarpetta novel. Similar to her other books. A murder is on the loose. This one is named Hog and committing crimes that are related to psycho in an institution in Massachusetts. Scarpetta's boy friend is working the psycho and the nutty niece is involved too.

Yes again I am hopeful that Cornwell is returning Scarpetta to someone interesting. This time the focus is on Lucy and leaves plenty of room for future exploration with her character, and she's expanded on Marino again as well. Is it just me or does Pete Marino seem to be getting younger with each book?

With the story line introduced here, the next couple of installments should prove to be very interesting--I hope she keeps up the great work for those! ( )